The Growth of Philadelphia: Map Changes

Since the establishment of our city, community members have adapted Philadelphia maps to meet the needs of the continually escalating population. Residents made it necessary to have accessible transportation, the exportation of goods, and a stable city structure; moreover, these are all aspects that affect a city map. In 1750, there was an increasing population of about 20,000 residents; this affected the structure of what was reflected on the city map. Philadelphia’s map showed a grid to help navigate through the growing city. The city is surrounded by The Schuylkill and The Delaware River for easy access to a water source. Due to a small population at the time, houses were named after the families that lived in them. There were barely any streets, and City Hall is in the same place that it is today. The popularity of the city grew, which lead to significant changes on the map. In 1855, with a growing population of 121,376 residents, the city was split up into wards and sections. A large population forced them to divide the city to create organization and sustainability. It also lead to much improvement in the development of streets to make transportation easier for Philadelphia’s citizens. Houses and roads were no longer named after families since the population increased, and important buildings were labeled on the map for navigation. Street names are now similar to today’s (Chestnut, Race, Walnut), and City Hall is still in the center of the city. Rittenhouse and Washington Square were shown on the map for navigation and recreational purposes. The development of Philadelphia greatly affected what is shown on the city’s maps.